On The Way To An Adventure
by merlinkiliemrys
Summary: Rose and The Doctor live normal and human lives, especially for the sake of their new daughter, Clara. But Clara strives for an adventure, she dreams of seeing the stars, with her beloved friend Damien Oswald. Little does she know all the stories are true about her Doctor. Her future is in danger. Can they keep their secret and protect their little girl from the impossible?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Clara**

"Is she going to be alright?" John asked worriedly. He could feel his hands trembling in the anticipation of Rose in the hospital. He dug through his pockets, grasping the bean between his hands.

The bean was something special too him now, besides the memories he had of an old life he once lived with Rose, this bean represented hope that one day it could all begin again, maybe not for him though, but maybe for their unborn son. Rose's new brother was a bit older now since he first had come here. It had been a couple years to adjust to this human life with only one heart.

It was strange how he could remember all the moments he had, he has lived for over nine hundred years, but it's all just a story in his head. In this life now, he was human, he would grow old, and he already was starting to age. He still was clever; he used his typical human name now. But he missed being called The Doctor; it was his name after all.

The Doctor. The good old days. The Master. Daleks. Gallifrey. Oh Gallifrey! He started to grow fond of the old memories of his beautiful home, a home that was now gone. Not much despair and hatred fell upon him though at the thought of Gallifrey and the Time War. Humanity and Rose had changed him; it had brought him to peace with all the pain and fault.

He waited by the emergency room doors, the doctor stepped into view, he immediately jumped up, "Doctor. Well?" He was getting impatient. Scared. He would save Rose from aliens, rescue her from a piece of flattened skin five billion years into the future, why was this any different? The doctor looked up at him consolingly, which made John nervous.

He smiled, a gentle smile, "So far, Rose is fine. She's in labor and she's ready to push, the baby is twisted the other way I'm afraid, caught in the umbilical cord," John's eyes widened in horror but the doctor put his hands up to stop his imagination from going over the top, "It is operative. It can be fixed. Your family will survive the procedure. I just thought you ought to know the complications." John smiled at him, nodding in understanding. The doctor nodded back and walked off inside the room to tend to Rose.

Rose, who was his wife. Such a strange life for someone like him. He never thought about life like this before. He dreamed of a life with Rose, always. He never believed it to happen, he thought she'd end up with dear old Mickey, but she chose him. For once, someone had waited for him.

She always wanted to be by his side and it scared him more than ever, because he could lose her if she stayed with him, he would much rather lose her in his life if it meant saving her so she could live one he could never have. But he now has that life. It's strange how he remembers all these moments they shared that seemed as only days ago, they feel so distant and yet so close.

He plopped right back on the chair near the door, slouching down farther into the chair as he waited. He hadn't noticed he had dozed off until the doctor shook him awake, "Wake up Mr. Tyler. We have great news." John Tyler. He didn't want to go for Smith anymore. He also fancied Tyler; it was something that needed to run in the family. They were the Tyler's, defenders of the parallel Earth.

Working a normal life but defending it all the same in Torchwood. He shook his drowsiness off as he heard those last words. Torchwood. It really was different here, better than in London. The doctor spoke quickly about how Rose was healthy and in great condition after the procedure. He smiled his wide, old memorable bright smile. "Rose Tyler," he said quietly to himself in relief.

"We need you to come over here and cut the cord," the doctor told him quickly. John nodded and followed him right into the room. It was bright with the one light that surrounded Rose as she lied on a bed covered in a blue papered sheet.

She was drenched in sweat, looking exhausted. Her eyes were shut tight though, she was resting. The doctors wouldn't let him inside when she had to go in for the c-section, it made him so bothered to be separated from her. After all they'd been through; he vowed to never drive that separation between them ever again. He grabbed the surgical scissors quickly, carefully snapping them over the cord. A warm, fuzzy feeling shocked through him at the sight of the newborn baby.

It was so small, smaller than he imagined, so careful and quiet. But he noticed parts were missing. It worried him more than ever, "What's wrong with him?" Rose's voice was hoarse and quiet as she spoke, "It's a girl, Doctor. She's your daughter." His heart raced at the sound of his name, his real name from Rose's mouth, she could never fight the old habit.

He picked up the infant; she fit perfectly in his arms. She was smaller than usual babies would be, he could fit her in his pocket. She wiggled around his arms as she stretched, squeaking when her mouth gaped wide open. She was yawning and it made his one heart melt. Her big, brown eyes smiled up at him.

A cleared drop splashed on her face, he wiped it away gently as she kept wiggling around. He looked up to see where the drop was coming from, but Rose told him before he could figure all the pieces out, "You're crying."

She started smiling. She was so beautiful, even when exhausted. Her long blonde hair was tied up in a messiest bun. She gestured for him to walk to her, so he carried his daughter across the room to his wife. "What should we name her?" Rose asked him, gazing at the infant. She was beautiful. So full of life. He saved so many lives before, even seen some lives be brought back. He has saved species upon species, trying to make up for the wrongs of the war on Gallifrey.

The TARDIS was life, but his little girl was alive. She was going to grow up to be someone so beautiful. So clever. He looked up at Rose as the baby grabbed his finger, gripping it tight and he could remember the first moments of saving Rose. He couldn't think of a name until it hit him, out of all the billions of names to be pulled out of the stars, this name came to his mind like a lottery number, "Clara."

Rose cried happily as she nodded in approval, "It's perfect." Even Clara approved as she squeaked up at him. He laughed, "My Impossible Girl."

He pressed his lips against Rose's forehead gently as they both stared at Clara, whose beautiful brown eyes gazed upon them brighter than the suns of Gallifrey. For once, he felt happiness and knew it would last, no Daleks or Cybermen to ruin his day.

**Eight years later**

"Mum!" Rose shot up at the scream for help from Clara. She jumped out of bed, trying her best to make no sound that would wake up her husband. She smiled at him though as he slept peacefully, his hair all ruffled up against the pillows. She walked down the hallway towards the room on the left where little Clara slept. She stepped inside finding Clara sitting straight up in her bed, gripping the sheets in fear.

She crossed her arms and stared at Clara, "What's wrong love?" She asked Clara as she took a seat next to her on her bed. Clara let go of the blankets and instantly crawled up to Rose, wrapping her arms around her as she cried into her shirt. Rose rubbed her back,"Shh. Clara. Don't cry. The monsters won't get you. I'm here now." Clara sniffled as her innocent brown eyes stared up at her mother. Rose couldn't believe how much she had grown. She was beautiful even more now. She wanted her to just stay a child, never grow up.

She was still smaller than the rest of the lot at her school, but Rose found her the most beautiful child there. Her teeth were perfect, which was very lucky for her. Her chocolate colored hair had grown down her back gracefully, it made getting ready for school entertaining for Rose since she had chopped her hair off again and she couldn't do much with it.

She'd always pick out Clara's clothes for school, doing her hair as Clara giggled over her father saying such strange things about old planets The Doctor had visited or as she knew, they both had visited. But they'd never tell how they'd know about these planets; the Doctor would just blurt them out to Clara over breakfast, which she loved more than anything in the world.

She ran her hands through Clara's hair as Clara explained her nightmare. "I was on a cloud Mummy. Everything was great though. There was this pretty blue castle sitting on the cloud. It shined brighter against the stars but it was all alone," Rose's heart quickened at the thought of the blue castle , her thoughts raced to the Doctor instantly, but it couldn't mean anything, she was just a child, she tried to hide her paranoid thoughts away, listening intently to Clara's nightmare.

She continued running her hands through Clara's hair as she continued on about her dream, "Something horrible grabbed me from behind. It tore me away before I could reach to the blue castle. I tried to fight it. I tried to reach out for help. I tried calling for someone to save me but everything went slow but quick at the same time and no one came. It pulled me over the cloud, taking me down with it... and I fell! I fell off the cloud! It was so high-" She buried her face in Rose's shirt again, crying more than when Rose had first come in.

She pulled her away from her shirt, "Hey. Hey. Clara, you don't need to be frightened. It was just a dream. A nightmare. You know what you need?" Clara sniffled again as Rose wiped her tears from her face gently. She spoke quietly, "What mum?"

"A Doctor." Clara's face filled with hope and curiosity, "Doctor Who?" She sat up straight in excitement. Rose laughed, "Isn't that the big question? He fights those mean monsters that you dream about. He goes by the Doctor and he lives on a cloud in the sky."

Clara raised her voice gleefully; she reminded Rose so much of her father when she got all giddy from figuring puzzles out, "Just like my dream!" Rose smiled, "Yes. Exactly. Only his blue castle is called the TARDIS. It travels through all time and space, taking him to children, just like you, to save them from their bad dreams."

She smiled again, gripping the sheets in excitement at the story. Rose told her the story of how she and the Doctor first met. Of course, she didn't say it was her, she replaced the names. It made her heart warm up inside to see her child so excited at the thought of the Doctor. To see her feel safe by the thought of him and she would never know.

Her eyelids started to fall over her eyes indicating she was ready to fall back asleep. Rose tucked her in as Clara got into position to fall asleep, ""You know what the best thing about the Doctor is?" She shook her head, grinning as she pulled all the blankets with her, warming up with the sheets.

She kissed her little head, poking her small button nose and whispered, "He will always come."

Clara fell asleep quickly after Rose clicked off the lights. She walked back to her room, the light was on. "Doctor. What are you doing up?" He took off his glasses as he read a book, "I saw you were up and I couldn't fall back asleep. Is Clara alright?" Rose nodded, "She just had a nightmare. Nothing to worry about."

She got into the blankets right next to him as he took off his glasses, putting his book on the end table on his left. He was so beautiful. No change. He really was the same Doctor she had always been with. It was so strange. It always felt like there was only one and he was here with her right now. There was no other.

"How did you get her to fall asleep?" He asked, his eyebrow doing that thing. She played with his hands, hoping he wouldn't get upset. For some reason, she hadn't fully understood yet, he didn't want Clara to know who he was or what he use to do. He wanted to forget that life because it made him sad to watch time go slow and to wait life out until the end like the rest of us, but if she knew her Doctor better than anyone else, she knew he wanted to be out in the stars again.

It's why we gave him the fake name in the first place, he never explained what was up with that, but he just said it would be better if Clara never knew; it was for her own safety. It scared Rose at first, but now she wanted to know what could be so dangerous for her to never know her real father's identity. If he had seen the look on her face at the story, maybe he would change his mind.

"I told her a story. A wonderful one." He nodded, "And what was this story?" His voice trailed off as he played with her fingers as well. "It was about a big eared man who grabbed told a girl to run."

It almost seemed to pain him to hear that last bit. Sometimes he forgot just how important he was and still is, even if he was just half human. "She loved you, you know? The real you. Not John Smith. The Doctor. Just like I do." She pecked him on the lips, smiling up at him as she lied down on the pillows. He couldn't help but smirk.

"I am so impressive," he smirked.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: A Great Big Bean…Well! **

"No!" Clara screamed out as she hid herself under the covers. Rose scooped her up from the covers, holding her close, "It's alright love. They meet again." Clara looked up at her accusingly, "When!"

Rose smiled," When the Doctor needs her the most, she'll come." Clara scrunched up her nose, "But I want her to come now. I liked Billie and the Doctor loves her... I just know he does!" She crawled back inside the covers, Rose laughed at Clara's incessant need to make Rose skip to when she comes to save the Doctor.

She pulled her out from the covers again, pecking her forehead quickly, "It's time for you to go to bed. You have school tomorrow." Clara pouted, "Can I just stay home with father? Please!" Rose shook her head," You need to go to school Clara. You'll be fine." She rolled her eyes and then frowned, "No one likes me there. They think I am strange..."

Rose scoffed," You, strange? How dare them! Should I go call the Doctor?" Rose pretended to get up as if she were going to call out to the Doctor, Clara instantly jumped up, pulling Rose back to the bed. "No no no! They'll only be worse. I can do this myself! I'll go to school, don't tell the Doctor or else he won't want me."

"Now if it's one thing I know Clara... The Doctor only takes the best and you know what?" Clara smiled revealing a missing gap where a front tooth should be, "What?" Rose got on her knees so she was eye to eye with Clara, "You are the best."

Clara gasped as she jumped up to look out the window; resting her head on her folded arms as she gazed up at the stars. "And what's my clever little girl doing up still?" John's voice came from behind Rose. She laughed, "She wants to wait for the Doctor." He laughed too, "Well look at that. I don't think the Doctor will come to someone who won't get to bed. He values that the most." Clara spun around, "How do you know?" He picked her from the window and put her in the bed, pulling the sheets over her," Because I've met the him."

"Really!?" She tried to get up in excitement but he gently pushed her back down. He smiled, "Yes. A wonderful man. Bit obsessed with bananas." Clara screamed, "I like bananas!" He pressed his lips on her head, "But if you get no sleep, he'll never come. If you don't go to school he'll never come sweetheart." She yawned, "Just like Santa?" He nodded, "Of course. Know him as well. Cheats in cards though and never says Ho, Ho, and Ho." "You know Santa!?" He grinned.

Rose couldn't help but smile at the whole event, she wished Clara could know, but she remembered why she couldn't. He was ashamed of who he was now, he always believed in a spur of moments that he wasn't the real Doctor, that he was just a copy. But he was more than that, he was her Doctor.

Clara went to sleep, the Doctor and Rose walked back to their room as they were tired as well. They held each other as they fell asleep, never wanting to separate.

"Clara!" John called out to her. She needed to hurry up and come down to eat some breakfast before the bus came for her. Rose sat the table, smiling as she ate breakfast. "What are you so happy about?" John asked smiling across the table. She shrugged, "Just you. I just think it's dashing when you call out for her."

He laughed, "What time are you going to work?" She sipped up the last of her coffee, "Right now." She kissed him on his lips, he wanted to pull her back but she left him so quickly. Clara came running down the stairs; Rose smooched her head and left out the door.

Clara ran in, sat down, and started eating her food. She started to pout as she picked at her food with her fork. "What's wrong?" he asked, taking a sip of his tea. She looked up at him, "Nothing." His eyebrows shot up in suspicion," Oh really?" She shook her head, "No… I just don't want to go to school. I want to be with the Doctor."

He smiled. He wanted to tell her, but she would want to go places and he had no power like that anymore, all he had really, was the bean. The bean! "How about this?" He held up the bean in front of her, "Would this make you go to school?" She stared at it in fascination, "What is it?" He threw it up, catching it perfectly in his hands," A bean. A great big magic bean… Well, not really big, but! A magical bean."

"No way! What does it do?" He handed it to her, picking her up from the chair as he grabbed her lunch and backpack. He set her down in front of the door, putting her coat on, "It's from the Doctor." She gasped, "Where is he?" As she spun around in her coat, searching for him. "He had to go unfortunately, but he'll be back soon. So he gave me this bean, a special TARDIS bean."

Her eyes lit up, it warmed his heart to see her so excited. She held the bean, stared up at him, and then quickly wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing tight. He laughed, "What's that for?"

"The bean! I love you." He ran his hands through her hair as he kissed her head. He led her outside, holding her small hand as she skipped off the steps to the bus. "The bean will protect you, okay? No matter what, always remember this bean. And don't listen to those Daleks, they're cowards." He winked at her as she smiled once more at the bean and at him.

He got down on one knee as he buttoned up her coat, fixing her beanie. "You're just like your mother. I love you sweetheart." She wrapped her arms around him and ran off to the bus. She stuck the bean inside her little pocket as she shuffled inside.

She looked over at him, the way she gazed at the stars, and smiled brighter than he had ever seen her.

Clara turned in her seat after she waved to her father. The bus driver drove off, a little boy turned around, facing her in the seat in front of her. She was scared, she thought another bully would come and be mean to her again. But he wasn't, he smiled, and spoke in a different voice she had never heard before," I'm Damien." He smiled, holding out his hand. She grabbed it, shaking it gently. She was confused; no one had ever been nice to her before.

"Clara." She smiled. He laughed, "You lost your front tooth! Lucky. Mine are still loose!" He pushed his tongue on the back of his front two teeth which wiggled slightly back and forward.

She laughed, "Does it hurt?" He shook his head, "Not one bit."

"Do you wanna be friends?" He whispered. He started smiling, blushing a bit. She nodded her head, smiling at the strange boy. He smiled too as he slid back to the seat next to her, sitting himself by her side.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Promises**

They sat on the bus, leaving school. School went fine for Clara, it's almost the end of the year and she couldn't wait for summer. Damien had become one of her closest and only friend at the school. He was sweet. She was his only friend too, which she liked. They were inseparable and they spent most of their recess talking about all these comics they read together or movies they watched together.

There schedule of friendship was pretty old. They called each other and watched television on the phone late at night. Her mum and dad didn't mind, they actually encouraged her to make a friend.

The best part about Damien was that he always listened to her problems or her dreams. He loved the stories she would tell during their lunch break at school about the Doctor. She would retell the stories the best she could remember that her mum had told her the night before.

Eventually he just ended up spending the night and her mum would tell them the story together as they both fell asleep on opposite sides of the bed. Damien was the only one she knew who didn't have this illness the girls at her school called cooties? She didn't quite understand it, in fact when she and Damien first spent their time together; the girls tried keeping her away, pretending to be her friend. It didn't make much sense to her.

Damien seemed perfectly healthy. He was funny too, not boring or gross. He was sweet, as she said before. He would hang out with Dad a lot too. They would talk about boy stuff when she would go to dance classes or go shopping with her mum. On the way home, Damien fished through his backpack, frustration all over his face as he rummaged through papers and books to find whatever it was he was looking for.

"Whatcha looking for?" Clara asked, trying to lift her chin up to see inside. He would draw it closer to him, hiding it from her. She pouted, crossing her arms across her chest. "It's a surprise Clara!" He kept searching through; she smiled excitedly as she waited for him to find it.

"Can I at least have a hint?" She pleaded.

"No! Now close your eyes or else," he threatened.

She gasped and shut her eyes tight, her smile widening as something papery fell into her hands.

"Can I open them now?" She whined.

"Yup!" He whispered loudly.

She shot them open, staring at the golden wrapped up present in her opened hands. As she was about to open it, he grabbed it back.

"Hey!" She pouted again.

He laughed, "I want you to promise me something first?"

She looked at him curiously, "What?"

"That you'll always wear it. 'Cause you're my best friend... and I found it in my cereal box!"

She looked up at him again, grinning.

"Promise?" He asked.

She nodded, smiling as if it were obvious she would the keep the promise.

They wrapped one arm around the other, spit in each hand and shook on it.

She frowned, "I didn't get you anything Damien."

His voice squeaked, "It's alright. Just keep your promise Clara."

She stared down at it in fascination, "What is it?"

He grinned, "Open it."

She hurriedly unwrapped the present, opening the box. She popped open the lid and pulled out a painted on golden ring. Engraved in it was Oswin Oswald. A super hero on a comic they had read together. It was her favorite.

She almost screamed and then she wrapped her arms around him tight, laughing in excitement. "You're the best!" She stuck it on; it barely fit as it kept falling off her undersized fingers.

"I thought it wouldn't fit," Damien said as he pulled out a chain. He grabbed the ring and sliding it on the chain and then hooking it on around her neck. "Cool," she muttered happily.

The bus came to a stop in front of her house. Damien and Clara jumped out of the bus running inside, reading to play hide and seek with her father.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Eleven Years **

Years had gone by and unfortunately so did the school years. Last year of high school had ended and future teaching for Clara would begin. It was her birthday today.

Finally, she thought. She stretched herself out like a cat as she yawned, groggily opening her eyes until the realization hit her. It was her birthday! She shot up out of her bed excitedly and ran downstairs.

Sure enough she found her parents standing by the table with huge grins as they modeled off to a special breakfast made just for her. "Happy Birthday Clara!" Her parents screamed in unison.

She couldn't help but giggle. It was her nineteenth birthday, she was nineteen. Pretty grown up now, she thought to herself. She grinned as she ran into their arms, squeezing tight, "Thank you, you guys. I love you so much!"

"Ahhh! Not just yet," her father cautioned before she could sit down and eat. She looked up at him confusingly, "What?" He grinned, "Presents first."

She frowned, "You didn't need to do that!"

Rose laughed, "Are you joking? Of course we did. Our daughter is out of school and going on to be all grown up... you deserve it!" Her mum's eyes started to gloss with tears as she tried to hold herself from crying.

"Mine first then!" Her mum said, fixing her apron and wiping her tears. She loved her mum and dad more than anything in this world. They were the reason why she loved adventures, why she dreamed happily.

Hell, if it weren't for them, she would not be friends with Damien. Damien! She was going to have to call him soon so that they could hang out later in the day like he wanted too.

She hopped herself up on the chair, crossing her legs as she waited for her father to return with her present. Her mother had already had it apparently, but she saw nothing yet. She fiddled with the ring around her neck as she smiled at the thought of Damien.

She'd known him for eleven years and she still never had the guts to declare her feelings for him. She was too nervous, too frightened of rejection. She didn't want to destroy their friendship either. He was her best friend and she was his, if she mentioned her feelings, it would destroy eleven years of friendship and make everything so awkward and broken.

Her father ran in with an oversize wrapped up present in the shape of a cube. She smiled in awe at how huge it was. "What is it?" She asked, her voice trailing off as she stared at it. Nothing in her head went through as to what the possibility of what it could be.

He flashed his teeth at her as he smiled in anticipation as she unwrapped the box. He held onto her mum's hand while she focused on unwrapping the gift. They were adorable together, which is an odd thing for their child to say, but they could be cute sometimes. I mean she was grossed out if they kissed in front of her or flirted inappropriately, but she loved it when they acted like parents who were in love, always, no matter what.

She finally got to the exterior of the cardboard box. She grabbed a knife handed to her by her father and cut through the middle of the box through the tape. She glanced up at them and they smiled encouragingly as she continued opening up the gift.

She couldn't help but gasp in surprised at what was inside. It was a huge box, for very great purposes. Inside was a walkie talkie looking thing that glowed red when spoken into, very futuristic? The manual said it was also a universal remote for stereos and television sets. Her father shoulder bumped against her mum's as he mumbled, "It goes ding when there's stuff."

She next picked out a belt with pockets on the sit and tools where her walkie talkie would be stuck into and other electrical items, it was similar to some tool belt for men, only more futuristic.

Something was deeper inside; it was small, but big at the same time. She pulled it out, it was a tiny oven. She couldn't stop the curves of her mouth going up as she stared at the tiny oven. She would have preferred a mini fridge for her room, but she understood the message conveying from the fantastic mini oven.

She liked to make soufflés.

Damien jumped out of bed early and quicker than he usually would compared to his wonderful record of lates last year. He jumped in the shower and spent a good hour just warming up in the hot water. The steam cleared up his sinuses and soothed his head. He was nervous. It was Clara's birthday. He didn't know what to get her yet. He'd always get her comics or some books, anything he knew she'd like, but for some odd reason, this time was different. She was older now, what do girls really want for their birthdays?

He didn't understand why it was so different, until last week, when he saw her, really saw her for the first time. She was beautiful, he'd always believed that, since the first time he saw her when they younger. But, she got more beautiful, when he least expected it too.

It was almost like those corny moments in the cinemas where the popular bloke saw the girl dressed nice and he instantly falls in love with her. He'd loved her always though, but their night together week ago at Prom was just wonderful. The gown she wore fit her so perfectly and the way she glowed when she walked down the stairs, staring down at him at the top of her stairs, it was something new.

He hopped out of the shower and into the steam filled room outside of his bathroom. He dried himself off, putting on his jeans. He ran in front of the mirror as he threw the towel over his neck.

"You got this." He reassured himself as nodded at himself in the mirror. He threw his hand at his face in embarrassment. He was such an idiot. Clara's mother had called him last night, inviting him over for the morning birthday breakfast for Clara. He was very close with her parents and he thought maybe on some level, they knew how much he loved their daughter. They also let him over, they seemed to approve of him, and they trusted him too.

He was always staying the night; they didn't mind where he slept, even though he respectfully slept on the floor a few feet from Clara to put their minds at rest.

He put on his jacket as he made his way in the car and drove off to her house.

In a matter of minutes, he was pulling up in their garage, shutting the car door and making his way inside. Another great thing about being that comfortable with someone like your family, you didn't need to knock to come in.

He stepped inside the familiar home as he stared around, searching for Clara. He heard laughing and gasping, she must've opened her father's present. He helped picked that out, that must count for something. Maybe he'd just plan some romantic evening or special evening for her birthday, pay for it all... That would be a great birthday present right?

This was so frustrating. He had never had a moment like this before, not with her. He stepped farther out into the kitchen where he saw them sitting around the table, laughing as they ate breakfast. Clara was folded up on the chair as she chowed down her pancakes, most likely to be chocolate chip since that was her favorite.

His parents looked up at him. John, her father, giving him the famous nod. Rose, her mother, smiled up at him and then whispered to Clara to look behind her. Clara spun around, her expression brighter than the sun itself as she saw him in the doorway of the kitchen.

She jumped up, her chocolate colored curls bouncing down her back as she ran towards him. She jumped into his arms as he spun her around. She giggled after he put her down gently.

"I didn't know you were coming! I thought I wasn't going to see you until later. I was thinking about you too..." She stopped herself as if erasing a thought that was better not said. It made his heart race at the thought of her thinking about him. He might not be the only one.

John interrupted their moment with a cough. It startled them as they stared up at them over at the table. They smiled though, almost amused by them. "Sorry!" Clara apologized as she rushed back to the table. She stopped herself again. "Oh god. I'm still in my nightie... I've got to change!" She ran back upstairs hurriedly.

He hadn't even noticed, it was adorable though. She dressed as if she was from a different time, that's what the nightgown reminded him off. She was getting too caught up in her role now at their university of their little town.

Rose called over to him, "Come sit down Damien. You don't need to stay away from us." John shook his head as he laughed at the idea. Damien sat down. Rose reached out for his hand and squeezed it gently, "Damien. You should tell her."

He almost choked on his saliva, almost dying from coughing at what she said. John laughed, "Rose! You don't just barge in like that." She laughed, "We use to do it all the time." They both grinned at old memories; he didn't quite understand what they could be.

"Anyway... As my wife was attempting to say without sending you into an early stroke, we know you two have..." He cleared his throat, "A thing going on between you two... Obviously," he shook his head nervously.

"Sir. I understand." Damien was surprised he could even speak when it came to talking to parents about dating their daughter. He smiled; he seemed almost surprised at himself for not being to speak.

"Good luck," Rose said quietly as she took John off into the garage to talk. Something serious, he didn't know what about though. He hoped they were fine. He'd never seen John so nervous or sick looking, it was odd.

Clara ran downstairs, he noticed the ring around her neck and he smiled at the idea of the possibility of them being together, as it should be. "You ready to go to rehearsals first?" She nodded her head excitedly.

"Then after, I will take you somewhere amazing, alright?" He said, hoping she'd agree. Tonight would be the night he told her his feelings for her and it made him more nervous than he ever could feel.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Coincidence And Challenges**

****Their hours of rehearsal for the production went smoothly. Clara felt she still had much to fix on her character, but so far she was content with the way she rehearsed it today. Damien was wonderful, as well.

He always was the best actor among them both. The way he just adapted to his character was something she wished she had; then again she wished she had a lot of things.

Not those kinds of things but an adventure. She dreamed of an adventure, that's all she ever wanted since she was a little girl. She wanted the Doctor to be real, obviously he wasn't. She grew up after realizing he would never come which broke her heart.

She still remembered all the stories and she loved remembering them. Eventually her mother wrote them all in a book for her to read when she was a kid.

She always spent her nights under the stars with Damien as she explained what star was which and he always seemed to listen, never dozing off. He was wonderful, he made her feel wonderful. But she still had no guts to tell him how she felt. She watched him carefully as they walked off into the park.

It wasn't quite night yet, the sun was still brightening their way through the park. She stopped in her tracks as she stared off at a cemetery near by. Damien stopped by her, watching her now. She didn't know why, but the place gave her a cold filling, a sense of déjà vu. As if she had been there before, but she hadn't. She hadn't even known there was a cemetery here.

He put his hand on her shoulder, "Are you alright?" She dazed out of the cemetery's view and looked back at him, "Yes I am fine." They lied out a blanket as they started taking out some food out of a basket. "I'm sorry this isn't a great present..."

"Oh no! It's perfect, Damien. I wouldn't have it any other way." She smiled as she ripped off pieces of her sandwich and threw it by the lake for the ducks passing by.

"Fun fact, everyone refers this lake as a lake, but it is actually a pond." Damien said happily. He must have felt really intelligent since she had no idea what he was talking about. She laughed, "But it looks like a lake and it's huge."

It really wasn't that huge, compared to ponds she would regularly see down by her library, it was a tiny bit bigger than usual ponds. He smiled, "Exactly why it gets confused with a lake, but it was originally a pond until for some odd reason, it grew. It's fascinating."

He was a dork; she had to admit as he smiled big at the lake... I mean pond. He grabbed his sandwich and started chowing it down. He almost forgot he was in front of her when he stopped abruptly and wiped his mouth in embarrassment. "It's fine Damien. I always tell you I don't mind."

He thought it was impolite eating like a human being in front of her. He always had a napkin of some sort so he could wipe down his mouth if it spilled one drop, which was almost never. He carefully always ate his food with great etiquette, like a gentleman.

She never tried to hide the fact that she loved food, she'd eat normally and he never objected by it or seemed appalled either, which pleased her. She couldn't help but swoon over his smile again as he wiped down his mouth from the mustard that dripped over his sandwich.

"So what other plans do we have for this wonderful day... that is my birthday?" She asked, smiling. She always got giddy when he was around. She was the only guy and friend, or just person in general that she could not only trust but act foolish and childish around. It was almost as if the two had never grown up as they always stuck around each other, still inseparable.

He shrugged, "I don't really know. Whatever you want birthday girl. But I may warn you that if we play tag or hide and seek of some sort, you will lose."

She scoffed, "Is that a challenge I hear dear sir?"

He stood up, patting down grass from his pants, "Are you up for the game?"

She stood up, straightening out her dress. She put on her devious smile she could think of, "You're on." She ran down the park towards the cemetery. She giggled as he protested that she cheated by giving herself a head start without notice.

She jumped over the gate, the bottom hems of her dress flying perfectly through the air as she landed gracefully on her feet. It was a black and white polka dotted dress, medium way short length that was above her knees, but passed her thighs. She loved the way running felt during the fall season as the leaves brushed passed her in the autumn breeze. Their best tradition was their dressing up for each other's birthdays, which is she wore a dress and he wore some suit that always looks expensive.

She nearly stopped herself at a grave. The words on the tombstone were barely readable as she tried to scratch off the remaining dried up mud and dust. Damien ran behind her, "What is it?" He asked as he put his hands on his knees, gasping for air. He rested himself against a bricked wall behind him as he tried to fix his clothes.

She didn't even notice how nice he dressed today. He always dressed nicer than her on these occasions; it made her feel stupid for some reason. She struggled as she kept scratching the dirt off the name so she could read it. She fell to her knees as she stared up now at the gravestone.

She ran her fingers through the name engraved on the grave. "What is it?" He asked concerned.

"Clara... Oswin... Oswald," she mutters under her breath in astonishment.

"What... Clara? That's not possible."

"I mean, it's not me. Obviously. And you have no one in your family by Clara either. Plus, the date of her birth and death are in the nineteenth century, which I am not even close to being born in. But Oswin Oswald! Like my ring..." She said, as she held onto her ring around her neck," Like the superhero you made up!" She got excited as she put the pieces together.

She turned to look at Damien and then turned back to the stone as she kept tracing each letter.

"It is strange though... She has my last name. It's not a common last name, Oswald. You remind me that all the time. And it is cold here... An ancestor of mine must be around... Almost as if she were a ghost, right now at this moment," he tried to change his tone into a spooky one, to scare her.

She turned her head to him, "I don't believe in ghosts."

He shrugged as he smiled at her, leaning against the wall, not believing a single word of what she said, "If you say so."

He was challenging her, again.

She pulled herself up, "Are you really challenging me again?"

He nodded, smiling in his victory. She shook her head at him, he was adorable when he thought he could dare her to do such crazy things, but he doesn't realize how much

she loves dangerous things, the adventure. She wasn't afraid of anything; he always forgot that, no matter how much he tried to appear more of a man than her.

"Alright. Tonight. We'll come back and see this so called ghost. It looks like behind you is a mausoleum... How about we hang out in there all night. Whoever chickens out first loses and owes the winner..."

He interrupted her, "Owes ME... whatever money they have got on 'em, which I know you have, so you can't lie." She laughed at his deal. He was going to lose so badly at this.

"You've got a deal and the same thing goes for me and you can't lie either, I know you have money just as much as I have some too."

He rolled his eyes and held out his hand. She grinned as she spit on her hand, crossing their arms together, squeezing the others' hand tight, speaking in unison, "I swear." She wiped her hands on his jacket and he ran after her.

He picked her up, swirling her around as she screamed for him to put her down, laughing as he held her up higher.

"Put me down Damien!" She screamed. He kept laughing as he gently put her down. She jumped on him, causing them both to roll down a short hill underneath them. They both fell apart from each other, rolling near their blanket as they laughed harder than they laughed ever in their lives. This really was the best present for her; it was all she needed in her life if she couldn't have the adventure.

Him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Open Sesame **

"So what time shall we meet at this oh-so haunted place?" Clara asked, poking Damien on the shoulder. He smiled fondly at her. It was a kind smile; she loved it when he did that. He always spent a lot of his past frowning; she'd like to think that they were each other's anchor. She made him smile and he let her dream, while he stood by her side each time.

They trusted each other. She couldn't stop but just think about him. She wanted the words to pour out of her mouth, how she felt about him, but it was as if she were trapped in her throat, piling on one another, not being able to come out the way she wants them too. She was afraid to even speak at all.

They walked back to his car and drove back home. If they wanted to be out of late, then she would have to come home early. She was nineteen, yet her parents treated her as if she were four.

She had to slap herself inside her mind, she needed to be more grateful towards them, they could have kicked her out, but they loved her. It was quiet in the car even with Damien playing his favorite mixes on his stereo. Her mind just kept dropping off this reality and falling other places, especially where the Doctor was.

She imagined the Doctor coming to save her, rescue her from this life, this boredom, even though in reality no one ever came. She sighed. She wished he were real, but he never had come for her yet. She would wait years, believing the silly man with a blue castle would come and rescue her, but no one came. She wanted to see the blue castle again, but her dreams never consisted of anything relatable to it.

"You alright?" Damien's voice interrupted her thoughts. She almost jumped at his voice, but she kept herself not surprised. She nodded her head and smiled.

His car halted to a stop in front of her garage. She turned to him, smiling again. He smiled in return, almost a hungry look in his eyes as if he had something so important to say, but it wouldn't come out. The same problem with her hopefully. She kissed him quickly on the cheek, "See you later. 9 o'clock?" He nodded.

She ran up the steps to her front door, pushing the key in and twisted it until _click_. She stepped inside her house and ran straight up the stairs, already choosing out an outfit for the night.

She picked out a beautiful pair of brown boots that would match with her jeans that she was now dancing her legs into. They fit perfectly to her figure and matched wonderfully with the combat boots. She grabbed a sweater quickly, since it was already colder than ice itself in her home and outside.

It was the sweater Damien had given to her on Christmas last year. It reminded her of an Oreo since the colors of the sweater were split into cream and chocolate colors. She threw it on as she brushed out her hair, almost flushing at the thought of what Damien was doing at the moment.

She connected the chain around her neck, the ring dangling barely above her chest. She grabbed her navy blue coat, throwing it over her as she ran back downstairs.

"And where do you think you are going?" She stopped quickly in front of the door as she slowly turned around to face the familiar voice. Her mother with her father right beside her.

"I am going to hang out with Damien for a bit."

They laughed, "This late? I don't think so." Her mother sounded firm and in control of Clara's life. It was starting to get on her nerves. She dealt with this all her life, so why were they barely getting on her nerves now?

"You can't tell me what to do. I am a full grown adult now." She tried to stand tall, face her parents even when her heart was pounding inside her chest as she felt sweat trickled the back of her neck.

Nothing fazed them. "You're right." Rose caved in. But it was too easy? Clara wondered if this was a trap. "I don't understand." Her father stepped in front of Rose, "We forget how grown up you are. Rose and I forgot, we were so use to this, we forgot that you can do whatever you want."

She smiled a suspicious smile. Something didn't feel right about her parents, something was different. Then she realized it. She made gagging noises at the fact that her parents had gotten all lovey with each other or something. She would need a week off from this. She stepped backwards up the stairs, scared they would change their minds.

She quickly dialed Damien, telling him it was alright. Even he believed something must be up. It took him a while until the "penny dropped." He gasped, "Ohh.. Makes sense I guess." She rolled her eyes. "I'll see you soon," she said quickly as she hung up her phone.

Her parents called for dinner, so she ran downstairs and grubbed down everyone's second servings, she grabbed her stomach in pain from eating too much food. She still had two more hours to kill after her dinner and so she completed some lines to pass time.

She found herself in a nap. When she woke up, Damien was by her side. "How did you get here? And when did I make a blanket?" As she said that, she checked the blanket and then stared blankly at Damien. He smiled and then tipped her chin up to him, gently pressing his lips against hers.

Clara jolted straight up in her bed, sweat sticking to her neck as she quickly checked around for no gorgeous best friends kissing her. She didn't even have a blanket. It was a dream. She hated those sometimes. She slowly got up and checked the time; she would be five minutes late if she left now. Shit.

She ran down the stairs, grabbing her mother's car keys and headed for the car.

By the time she drove into the park, she could barely make out Damien by the cemetery, or at least she hoped it was him. She ran up the hill towards the cemetery, hurriedly making her way to Damien.

He looked up as she approached him. He smiled as she realized he was dressed warmer then she. He covered himself in a navy blue coat, buttoned all the way as he dug his hands into his pockets.

He wore normal slacks with converse. For her, he looked normal. He ran his fingers through his brown tousled hair. She made it up the hill as she quickly fixed her hair, hoping she looked better than she thought she looked when she last checked.

"You ready?" He asked softly. She didn't understand why he was being delicate with her; she could take the no ghost haunted house. There was nothing there, there wouldn't be. Right?

They held each other's hand as they walked inside; it was an instinct as she already panicked under the dark room. The bricked house that was visible in the morning in front of the grave stones was very creepy. It gave out weird vibes to her that she couldn't understand.

She found herself reciting the architecture of the place, as if she knew what she was saying, she really had no clue. It came out fluently as she talked, confused as to why he was staring at her so strangely.

She stopped herself immediately, "I don't know where that came from. I've never even been here before." She laughed at herself nervously. She wanted to smack herself in the head, she sounded so mad and stupid. Why was she acting all nervous around him? It's Damien! And they were always alone, why was this time different?

It got darker as they walked deeper into the place. They jumped at the sound of the door shutting hard behind them. Her heart was racing, she didn't believe in ghosts, but she believed in psychos.

She reached over to a candelabrum that was sitting on a dusty vanity desk nearby. She blew off the musty substances as she coughed each way. "Do you have a lighter?" Her question echoed out throughout the abyss of darkness they were surrounded in. She swore she could hear footsteps above her, chills running down her back. This place was creepy.

He handed her a lighter. She could see his hands shaking as he handed it to her. He was just as scared as she was, no wonder he was so silent. She lit each candle on the candelabra carefully, cautioned of possibly getting burnt.

After they were burning bright with newly lit flames, she kept walking forward, using the candelabra as a guide to this misshapen place. She would have kept going up the mysterious spiral staircase that seemed to look as if it led up to nowhere, but she noticed no echo of footsteps was following hers.

She spun herself around quickly with the flaming candelabra in her right hand, "Are you coming or not?"

She had never seen Damien looked so frightened before. This was the guy who killed the bugs or spiders that creeped on her walls at night and scared her to the point of never sleeping. This was the guy who used to hold her tightly during thunder and lightning storms, calming her down until she felt safe and fell asleep peacefully.

She could go on forever on how many times Damien protected her in his own fearless way, so this surprised her when he was just frozen in fear. The light lit up his face as he stared at her with his eyes wide and terrified. "Erm..." That was all he could get out.

Eventually she just used her free left hand and pulled him with her by his coat as they made there way up the circling stairs. The light helped them way more than she believed it to as they walked up the stairs.

She squealed inside as she pushed away a wall of cobwebs in front of her. She stepped forward quickly, almost having a seizure as she tried wiping off the cobwebs on her. She turned around with the candelabra, making sure her now frozen in fear best friend was still following behind her. He seemed calmer now since she dragged him up here, but she could tell there was still something that freaked him out.

There was a door in front of them, made of stone. But it was blocked by more cobwebs, blocks of it. It made her skin crawl as she ripped through it again. By the time she got to the stone door, she had to stop and think. There was no door knob, no way of opening the thing. How was she going to get in?

She looked over at Damien; he was thinking the same thing as he slowly regained himself and his balls. She laughed, "Glad to see your back." He smiled, even though she could see the embarrassment all over his face.

She gazed back at the door. How was she supposed to open it? There was some strange language all over the thing as well. Maybe it was that type of riddles where you say the answer aloud or the password aloud? She stared at the language confused. Her mind grew frustrated at the circles and dots scattered all over the stone like a child's drawing.

She traced the circles and dots as it all jumbled in her head, mixing there way into letters and bending back into words, transforming into final sentences. She spoke aloud in a sing song voice, forgetting Damien was right next to her, "A child of the TARDIS will be the key. For it is the child of the TARDIS it must be. Our old thief has abandoned all; will the child of the TARDIS take on the next beckoning call?"

The last of the riddle trailed off on her tongue as she touched the engraved language of circles and dots on the stone. Damien stared at her, his mouth wide open in awe at her translation. She gazed sideways at him, grinning.

He pointed his finger at the bottom rest, "What does the rest say then? Miss I Know Everything."

She concentrated on the last bit of the drawn on language carved into the stone.

She traced the carvings again, carefully this time as each circle and dots clicked in her head, transforming into a mixture of letters into words and placing themselves into sentences like in Wheel of Fortune.

She read the first sentence, "The Doctor's Daughter. Open the door."

Her eyes widened and she shook her head, stepping away from the door as her heart pounded, "It can't be."

Damien turned her around, staring at up at him, he said calmly, "What is it? What does it say Clara?"

She turned back, facing the door, her heart was stabbing her chest from the inside as she tried to make out the words, trying to find the strength to say them aloud, tears streaming down her face, and she finally said the password.

"Clara."

The stone door cringed open slowly; stone against stone wasn't the most pleasant noise you could ever ask for to hear. Webs stretched over the stone door as it finally hit the back wall in front of them, fully opened. She stepped inside instantly, ignoring Damien's protest.

She felt her grip slip from the candelabra as it crashed to the ground in pieces. She could hear Damien's breathing come to a stop as he saw what was in front of them as well. "It can't be..." He muttered to himself in disbelief.

Her heart stopped as she stared up at the beautiful, bright blue castle. The one in her dreams, huge and brightly lit stood in front of her. So alone in the dark, asking for her to come rescue it. It begged her; it drew her to this place. And then she remembered. She had been here before; she snuck here when she was a kid, with Damien. He hated this place all those years ago as well.

"We've been here before," Damien whispered to her. She didn't know why he was whispering, no monsters were coming to take us. She nodded in agreement.

"My bean grew," She was whispering now in astonishment, her voice unable to raise its volume as she gazed up at the TARDIS.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: The Oncoming Storm**

"But that's impossible Clara..." Damien muttered under his breath. And it was impossible. It really was. It freaked her out as much as it did to him. But it made her relieved or less empty inside, as if she finally found what she had been looking for all these years.

He was lost for words; his voice was barely audible, as was Clara's. She didn't understand it either. They were so young then during the dangerous storm. She remembered it as clearly as she grinned at the memory. He had come to her house in the middle of the night while the pouring rain attempted to overpower the roars of thunder and flashes of lightning. She was frightened, in her head all she kept wishing for was the Doctor to come and protect her.

_She jumped when a shadow flashed behind her window. She pulled the covers up to her eyes, whimpering until it would disappear. "Please save me from the monsters," she would whisper repeatedly. Yet no one came. _

_"Psst! Clara! Open the window! It's freezing out 'ere!" The familiar voice screamed through the thunder's roars. She dropped the blanket quickly and quickly tiptoed to the window. It had been three years since she had gotten the bean, they were both almost fourteen. She pretended to grow out of the Doctor's tales and dreaming of adventures, but with Damien, he never made her pretend, in fact, he always reminded her to never grow up. He was the closest thing she had to a Doctor. _

_She used all her strength to push up her window frame so he could crawl in. He was soaked from the rain outside, shivering as he finally stood up beside her. He was taller than her now, by so much it seemed._

_He grew up in his appearance more than she had. The popular girls at our school took attention to him now, but he always hung out with her instead. She took the idea off in her thoughts as she realized she was gazing at him._

_He smiled, "I didn't mean to scare you." _

_"You didn't!" She tried to lie, but she was horrible at it._

_"You're a terrible liar Clara." He grabbed something from the coat he was wearing; it was a book of some sort. She gently took it from his hands as he handed it to her. She smiled big; he was obsessed with writing now. _

_"The Girl Who Can," she whispered as she slowly touched every letter of the engraved title of the book. _

_"Only for you," he said quietly. _

_She looked up at him, wanting to ask him so many questions, like what did that mean? Only for her..? Does he feel the same way she does? But her words just wouldn't jumble through her mouth._

_"You went through all this trouble just to give me a book, I'm not worth that much," Clara said kindly, as she put the book inside her book case filled with other stories including the many books he wrote before the one she held in her hands._

_"You're the only one who believes in my stories... In me. My parents say it's useless to be a writer. You say it's everything a person can dream for... To write stories that could possibly save lives or inspire others. You're my muse. You'll always be worth it." _

_She hugged him tightly at the last words. It wasn't what she wanted to hear, but it was close enough for now. She didn't want to ruin any moment they had left. The thunder roared again, making her jump back. _

_Her heart was racing, unable to handle her fear of storms. She didn't understand why storms scared her. Something in her mind predicted or exaggerated in her paranoia that something horrible would happen to her because of a storm. _

_"It's alright! You're safe," Damien said quickly as he caught her. She dug her face into his chest for protection. It frightened her more than anything, the oncoming storm._

_"The oncoming storm..." She repeated aloud now, quietly. _

_"What?" Damien asked. _

_She felt something pulling her to look back at her end table; even Damien was pulled to follow her gaze as well. The end table drawer was glowing. As if some star were trapped in her drawer, bright and flowing with golden light._

_She let go of him as she slowly walked over the drawer, opening it carefully. The bean, the one her father had given her, the Doctor's bean, and the one the Doctor had given him. She hadn't believed it as she got older, but now... It was true. _

_Was she going mad? She had no reason too. Sure, the storms caused to her freak out a bit, but not this bad and even Damien noticed it as well._

_"You see it-"_

_"Yup... I can see it," Damien answered quickly. _

_They both stared down at the bean, glowing with life. She picked it up in her hands; it was warm making her feel fuzzy inside. She smiled down at the bean; it was whispering words into her ears. She didn't quite understand the language, but she understands what it wanted._

_She threw on her coat, sticking the bean into her pockets safely. Damien followed after her as they both jumped out the window quickly into the pouring rain. Thunder and lightning clashed with the sky as if in a war. And for once, with that bean in her hand, she didn't feel scared._

_They weren't far from the place they were heading, they made it their quickly. It was a cemetery, not quite finished being built yet, only a few tombstones were scattered around the lot. No buildings yet either. They were planning to build some sanctuaries or something, she didn't know. _

_The bean glowed the brightest at the middle of the stones, surrounded by one behind her surrounded by mud, rain, and moss._

_That drew her to the place as well. She had the strange urge to wipe away the mess and see who was buried there, find out their life story and everything. She snapped out of it when the bean burned her hand causing her to drop it abruptly. _

_"You okay?" Damien asked quickly, examining her hand. _

_"Yeah I'm fine," she said reassuringly as her hand felt no pain anymore. _

_The bean sunk into the wet dirt, soon the glowing light started to dim as it got deeper. She didn't understand why it did that, she actually wished she never brought it here. It was her only thing of the Doctor's that was proof now that he did exist. Where would she go from here? Would she wait for it to grow? _

_But she never waited for it to grow, because she grew up instead. And she couldn't believe now that she had forgotten how real the Doctor had been for her only five years ago._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: An Impossible Dream**

She snapped out of the memory as she stared back up at the glowing blue castle. Her mouth felt dry. Her heart was racing. She wanted to take off her jacket since it seemed to have gotten stuffy and hot in the haunted place.

She didn't know what she was supposed to do, does she open the door? She reached out to the handles on the front doors, she froze before touching it. What if someone was in there? What if he was in there?!

She turned around to look at Damien for some answers, but he looked just as confused as she was. She turned back to the TARDIS with wandering eyes. "What do I do?" She asked the air, aware that Damien was probably too tripped out to answer back.

She froze, staring at down at the TARDIS as the earth beneath her feet cracked and whirled into dust, changing its scenery. It went from desert heat to winter's cold. She could see snow falling down onto the ground where her feet were surrounded by a beautiful fluffy substance.

_All of the sudden she was on a cloud, the cloud in her dreams, she wasn't a child though like she always dreamt, but she wasn't wearing her original clothes either. _

_Her body felt compressed in a tight navy blue dress. It was proper, nothing like her. What is this place? She stared around in the disbelief, had the TARDIS transported her to where he secretly was? On a cloud. She took it all in as she smiled at the stars and all around her. _

_She heard creaking. She spun around to find the Doctor opening the doors. "Doctor?" She whispered in excitement. He smiled at her, as if he knew who she was this whole time, as if he was expecting her this whole time._

_He continued opening his doors as he stepped inside. She had never been inside or imagined what it looked like. _

_"Where are you going?" She called out to him. It was as if he couldn't hear her saying the words, he smiled like he held a secret. She couldn't hear him either. _

_She ran inside as he stood there, smiling at her. It was different though. This wasn't right. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. She remembered this moment. How could she remember it? "Doctor!" She pleaded. _

_"Goodbye Clara," The Doctor hissed. She flinched at his voice, "What? I don't understand." _

_He just smiled his eyes soulless as they looked behind her. Before she could see what he was staring at, cold arms strapped themselves around her forcefully. It pulled her backwards out of the TARDIS._

_Her eyes were full of terror as she watched him do nothing, just let her be taken. She tried to fight but the thing was pure ice as it locked her in its arms, pulling her over the cloud._

_She could hear him screaming for her in her head, but in front of her, he did nothing but stand there. She stopped herself from fighting when she saw him looking at another woman, it was dressed like her, and it was her!_

_It didn't make any sense. They both ran after her. It all went slowly as Clara found herself falling midway in the sky. She reached out, hoping to hold onto something in her silent fall. Her eyes were locked onto the cloud with the Doctor reaching over, screaming in silence. _

_She stared up, almost as if the cloud was right above her, the two impostors appeared above the cloud. The look alike tilted her head in wonder at the dead body on the snow. The Doctor threw his sonic screwdriver all over the place saying random things that she couldn't quite make out as her mind drifted away. _

_"Clara... Are you alright?! Answer me!" The Doctor screamed. She couldn't speak, move, or open her eyes. She was stuck inside her head. Her mind was darkness. And inside she found herself wandering around until she heard the hissing._

_She had broken into the TARDIS somehow with her mind and it was upset at her._

_Her head started to overload now with memories she wasn't reliving. They weren't hers. She saw different faces of different men with different women and men. Running. Fighting. Shooting. Dying. Losing. Winning. Regenerating. Then there was her. Running around screaming for him. _

_She saw her mum and dad. They were running. They were smiling. They were in the TARDIS? She didn't understand. She tried to change it. Please. Stop these memories. And then the most horrible face of all invaded her thoughts. It hissed at her._ She screamed and then fell back into Damien's arms.

"What's wrong!?" Damien said quickly as he tried to wake her up.

She was paranoid as she searched around for the thing that threatened her. She touched herself for any broken bones or scrapes nothing. She turned to Damien about to speak and then-

"What happened?" She asked quietly.

"I thought you knew? You stood there touching the TARDIS and then you fell back screaming," Damien's voice was full of concern, it broke her heart.

"Nothing happened..." She was confused. Nothing happened. She stared at the TARDIS. She never even touched the thing. How did the TARDIS grow from the bean? How could she get in?


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: The Angel **

Weeks went by since she had seen the TARDIS and apparently spaced out for what felt like hours to Damien. She didn't remember anything though, but something had scared her, which was all she could remember. She found herself waking up randomly in cold sweat, her heart racing, as she forgot what the hell it was that scared her so badly. Something dark was inside her, she could feel it, but she just couldn't find it? That doesn't make any sense, but it's true.

At night, she'd visit the TARDIS through the tunnels guided around the cemetery. She didn't need Damien following her or being with her when she was visiting the TARDIS, she wanted to be alone. There was something about the blue box, the way it lit up when she came near, she felt it was waiting for her this whole time since she threw the bean down. She didn't understand how it grew though and that's what made it even more fantastic.

She ran through the underground tunnels this late evening, splashing in the murky water. It was disgusting, but worth it every time. There was something about the blue police box that caught her attention more than it had when she was a child.

She struggled pushing with all her strength the stone door opened. She would always appear behind the TARDIS. She walked around it, observing every inch of the mysterious box. It didn't make any noises; it just lit up when she appeared. She tried touching the doors again, seeing if she can remember anything, but nothing happened. She would sit down and lay her back against the TARDIS, thinking aloud as if it could hear her.

She'd talk about Damien and tell the TARDIS all her stories with him since they were kids. She'd talk about her mum and then her dad, but nothing happened either. She would talk about her blank dreams that she could never remember, but knew they scared her to death. Nothing happened. She mentioned her dreams and stories she had heard about the Doctor and then she swore the TARDIS blinked. It's light blinked, more slowly flickering as she mentioned him, the Doctor.

She jumped up on her heels and looked up at the light again. "Doctor..." She said cautiously. Nothing happened. Maybe she was that tired, that sleep deprived, that now she was imagining the blue police box responding to her because of him. Damien said he saw the TARDIS so she couldn't be going that crazy. She didn't want to tell her parents either, because what if they came and it wasn't here anymore?

Her parents told her the Doctor was real and she believed them until she got older, when the stories stopped, when she grew up a bit, but now... This is just mad. Everything is wrong, life is wrong, history is wrong. The Doctor is wrong. She stared at the TARDIS again as her eyes started to feel heavy as she stared up at the light.

"Let me in, you grumpy old cow!" For some reason, she was expecting it to answer. It started to get cold again, like the last time she touched it. She looked around at the forest sounding her now; she was no longer inside the mausoleum. The lights suddenly went out.

She called out for someone who could fix the lights, but no one answered back. The lights flickered back on and she saw a statue perfectly carved into an angel standing in the middle of the darkness. She then saw a red headed girl run by, calling out for the Doctor. She looked back at the darkness where the statue should have been but it was gone. She shrugged, walking back towards the TARDIS until she was face to face with the angel statue. She shrieked, immediately running away from the TARDIS.

She realized she needed to leave quickly; her session with the TARDIS would have to continue tomorrow night. _Just keep running and don't look back_! She climbed out of the tunnel and ran back home. She climbed through the window leading into her room. Her foot got caught in the window frame. Panicking, she tried pulling her leg through, the hem of her jeans hooked in the nail.

"Need help?" A voice softly called out from the darkness that filled her room. Her heart fell out of her throat as she nearly fell out of the window, face first into her floor. She lifted her head up, blowing the strands of hair out of her face to get a clear look at the intruder. "Damien?" She made sure she sounded exasperated. He scared the socks off of her.

A small light from one of her lamps dimmed on. He stood by her book case, smiling. He looked brawnier since she last saw him. She could feel her cheeks flush as he smiled down at her. He made his way over to her, picking her up easily from the floor. "I'm fine," she tried to shake off the flushing rising in her face. The way sparks flew through her skin at his touch, it was something different for her. She had boyfriends, she never felt this way before with any of them. She always knew there was something in her heart for Damien, but nothing this strong before.

She shook the dirt in her pants, making her way to her closet. She grabbed a sweater along with some grey sweats. She rummaged through her drawer for a pair of socks. He looked over at her, confused. "I need to take a shower, get all this mud off me."

"Where were you?"

She stopped rummaging. She didn't want to tell him. She wanted it to be her own secret. She just wanted something that was only hers for once, in her head. But she loved him and trusted him more than she believed she should.

"I went to visit the TARDIS..." She looked up at him innocently.

"Without me?" He looked hurt. He shouldn't be though. All he heard were stories, he didn't dream of that moment. It was her TARDIS, not his.

She nodded. _Don't apologize. Don't apologize. _She kept telling herself. She had nothing to be sorry for. But, she really did. She lied to him, kept secrets, just because she was selfish and wanted to be with the TARDIS.

"I'm sorry." Clara said, giving in.

"No it's fine. It's none of my business. It's just I called, you didn't answer."

"So you snuck into my room? Waiting for me?"

"No! Oh god. No! I was going to give you this," He handed her a letter.

"What is it?" She asked, as she held on tight to the letter in her hands now.

"It's a letter…that I have written," he averted his eyes from her. Nervousness shot through her whole body.

"What does it say?"

He looked at her quickly, "Don't read it! Not yet."

She laughed, "Why not? What's the point in giving me the letter if I can't read it?"

"Because I thought you would be gone. I don't want to be here when you read it."

"Why?"

He took the letter from her, "I'll give it to you some other time. I just can't be here when you read it."

She tried reaching out to grab for the letter, "Just let me read it!"

He frowned, sticking the letter in his pocket, "No. Trust me. Don't worry, you will. But not now."

She rolled her eyes, "If you say so." She piled all the clothes into her hands, "I need to wash up. Will you still be here when I come out?"

He nodded.

She hurried herself when she started washing up in the shower. By the time she got out, she was already using her towel to dry her hair and squeeze all the water out. She did all the essential steps for preparing to go to bed after she put on her sweater and sweats. She yawned as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Steam blurred her reflection. She groaned, every time this happened even when the bathroom fan was on. She rubbed the mirror down, erasing the steam from her mirror. She smiled at her reflection. Oh god, she looked stupid and exhausted. The TARDIS filled her mind again. Why was it here? Where did it even come from? There was just no possible way it came from that bean.

She picked up the damp towel, turning around to throw it over the shower door. She stopped in her steps when she heard the familiar hissing. "No…" She whispered to herself. It couldn't be. The sound, the horrid sound, it sounded familiar, and it scared her, like from her dreams. She slowly and regrettably turned around to face the creature. She took a step back instantly at the sight of the ugly thing. It kept hissing at her.

"Remember Clara," It hissed repeatedly.

"What are you talking about? What are you?! And why can't I remember you!?" She tried backing up farther away from the thing, but she ended backing up into the shower door. She was breathing quicker than before, her palms sweating the nearer it got to her.

She slid herself down, sitting on the tile floor now. She whimpered, shutting her eyes tight through the frightened tears. "Leave me alone! Leave my head! You're not real! You're not real!" She threw her hands up to her ears, drowning out the hissing. The door busted open, "Clara!" Damien ran in, his arms around her instantly, trying to pull her up.

She fought through, as the hissing shot through her head. "Leave me alone," she kept muttering repeatedly. He pulled her tighter against him, "Clara. It's just me. Damien. You're safe. You're alright. I've gotcha." She opened her eyes carefully, "What?" She looked at Damien. He let go of her, "You were in here, crying. Muttering about something to leave you alone?"

She shook her head, "No I didn't. I just got out of the shower and got dressed."

Damien shook his head, "No trust me. You were acting mental just right now. Are you sure everything is alright?"

Everything felt alright. She didn't understand what he was explaining, all she remembered doing was getting dressed. She pulled herself up and walked past him, out into her room.

She was fine. She didn't understand why this was the second time he had done some crazy thing where she was scared. This time she didn't remember being scared. She just remembered cleaning off the mirror... "The mirror," she muttered.

"What?"

"Oh nothing," she whispered. She slowly stared at the mirror that was inside the bathroom, and then she shook off the creepy familiar feeling. She was fine. Everything was fine. Nothing had happened. She'd remember such a crazy thing.

Damien walked up to her, worry all over those big brown eyes. Oh great. Here come the "I worry about you" puppy eyes. She was fine. She hated that look even when she wasn't. But he was beautiful and kind when he did that look. Another reason for her to hate it.

He awkwardly put his arms around her, adjusting to whether or not he should hold her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, showing him it was okay to hold her. Deep inside, she wanted the sense of safety. She always felt that around him, he was always there when she needed him.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked again.

She nodded, "I'm fine. I really am." But she wasn't. Deep inside, it slowly crept up that she wasn't fine. Something was nudging her insides, something important. She dazed out of the mindless thoughts when a pair of lips pressed against hers quickly.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Letter**

It all happened so fast, quite meshed into a blur actually. She shut her eyes tight and before she could react, Damien had his lips pressed against hers. She almost found herself falling in, their lips perfectly fitting on top of the other, but she realized it was Damien. She opened her eyes, pushing him back gently. "I can't do this…"

He looked flushed, unaware of his surroundings. He reminded her of someone who just woke up from some wonderful dream. Her heart was racing, her mind was blank. She didn't understand herself why she had pushed him away, she'd always dreamed of this. It didn't feel right though.

"What's wrong? Was I bad?" Damien asked, looking horrified at the idea that he was a bad kisser. She didn't understand how someone could be a bad kisser, in her eyes, she figured there was some connection that you had with someone when you were pressed against each other that way and if that connection sparked, it was good, if it didn't, and then she supposed it was bad.

She shook her head. She was lost for words. What would she say? "Oh I love you Damien… I am just really scared of commitment and also mentally insane since I am obsessed with a blue box and a fairy tale alien," and instead she responded with, "What's that Mom? Yeah I'm coming!" And she ran off.

It was late at night and her parents were asleep, why she pretended her mom called her, she really had no idea. She panicked. What else would she have done? Her best friend and all of the sudden, crush, just kissed her, in her room. No one would know and yet she felt like the whole world had watched. She expected a whole group of her neighbors to jump inside her kitchen and say "CONGRATS!"

She cautiously ran over the kitchen windows, shutting them down and locking the doors, you never knew what could happen. She gripped the edges of the counter as she looked down at the drain in her sink. She really wished she could just drown in that drain at the moment.

"What is wrong with you? He's amazing... Why are you so afraid? You've dated guys before. You're not new to these things. I mean yes... You've been alone for a while, stuck in your books and dreams. But he was always there... Reading the books you read... Listening to the dreams you dreamt," She whispered to herself. What was she suppose to do?

She wished her mum was awake, she bet she would have some good advice to spit out to her like a gumball machine. She should go back up the stairs. Talk to him. Yes! That's what she will have to do.

She quickly and silently ran up the stairs. She stepped inside her room, hoping no noise woke up her parents or else she would have a lot of explain to do as to why a boy was in her-

No one was there. "Damien?" She whispered out to the darkness now. Her lights were off. She flipped a switch near her door that dimmed the room with her Christmas themed lights. She had just put them up since it was going to grow on to be the holidays soon.

She almost felt hurt and alone when she saw he wasn't there anymore. Her window was opened, as the breeze from the starless night grazed her cheek. She walked over, shutting the window slowly. She swore she saw something in the shadows move out of her yard. She frowned at how her chances looked now of ever being with him. Why did she have to be so afraid?

She woke up the next morning, almost not even close to forgetting Damien. She had to find him, explain to him. Definitely shout out that she loved him that last night was not her rejecting him, it was just her being a coward.

"Clara!" Her mum called out.

She got up quickly, lacing up her boots with her jeans tucked in. She rummaged through her drawers, eventually throwing on a crimson sweater over her. She let her hair fall down in its wavy curls, as she bounced her way down the stairs to breakfast.

She was about to make her way out the door to drive quickly to her classes until the voice of her mum stopped her abruptly in her tracks. "Oh no you don't! You will be eating some breakfast first Clara Oswin Tyler!"

Clara backed up into the kitchen where her mum stood there, golden hair tied up in a bun as she held out a pan with bacon fried in oil on it. "I thought it was Clara Oswin Smith?"

"Your dad says Smith. I say Tyler. Either way, you are going to eat breakfast Clara."

"Mum! I am going to be late. There is no time to sit down and eat something. I am not even hungry," she lied.

"You are going to eat. Look, I'll pack it for you. It will take only a minute."

Clara rolled her eyes as she waited impatiently in the doorway of the kitchen while her mother packed the breakfast. She wasn't hungry, why should she be forced to eat when she needs to go to class, track down Damien and declare her love for him and apologize for her running away.

"Mum. You need to speed this up. I need to leave now!"

She turned around, handing her the package of breakfast. She smiled, for a moment; it was something that spiked her memory. All of the sudden Clara saw her mum younger. Hair the same length as it was now, same bright golden, but her face was younger, happier, and full of life. She was staring up at someone, she could only remember the back of his head. Barely any hair, big ears.

She dazed out of the memory, staring back at her mum as she reached for the breakfast. "Thanks!" She quickly kissed her mum on the cheek and ran out the door. Sticking the keys in the ignition, speeding off to her class, and thinking of the possible scenarios that would happen when she explained everything to Damien.

It was about a fifteen minute drive until she finally drove into the parking lot, hurrying out of her car to find Damien. She ran through the campus to her class quickly, they would be practicing for their play that they would be performing tonight.

She walked inside her class, her professor rushed to her, grabbing back the shoulders, "We are performing right now."

Her eyes widened, "What are you talking about?"

He smiled, "Just kidding Surprising you are in so early."

She barely caught her breath, "That's not funny professor. You almost killed me."

"Oh don't worry. I'd never be that crazy. Just get ready in costume though, I'd like to go through a dress rehearsal perfectly for once."

Her professor rushed off after a couple of students who were fighting over a wig. She didn't want to find out why they were fighting over a wig.

She ran around the theater room, searching for Damien but he hadn't shown up yet. Betty, the costume designer, grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to get into her official costume.

Her hair was curled to where it stringed up to the top by her ears. Make-up department ran by her, brushing powder there and there, rubbing colors on her eyelids and so forth. She had lipstick rubbed onto her lips, it tasted of strawberries, and it must have been some new brand.

The costume designer ran by her, handing her a dress on a hanger that was covered in a plastic wrapping. She unwrapped the plastic with a navy blue dress inside, perfectly ironed and pressed.

The feeling of the dress was soft, it smelled of laundry detergent. It had reminded her of her father's suits, which smelled exactly the same after her mum cleaned them.

She quickly went into a dressing room and zipped up the dress. Her costume was pretty simple and she felt naked as she unhooked the chain with the Oswin Oswald ring attached to it and set it on the table near her clothes.

She stuck the clothes and necklace into her cubby that they all had used for their personal belongings. She glanced over at Damien's, which had his clothes stuffed inside and a squared out piece of paper sticking out of his jeans.

She quickly grabbed it, undoing the crumbed remains of the letter, her eyes not being able to stop as they skimmed through, reading every word he had written.

She flipped the paper over as it continued on the back. In a summary, it basically stated how much money he would need for certain things and how his life was. It was pretty much a diary entry and a list. She kept reading until the next words stopped her. She kept rereading the words over and over again, disbelief flooding her mind at each individual word of the sentence.

_I love her. No, I don't love her. I'm in love with her. Clara. She's beautiful and my mind won't rest until I tell her this. I can't get it out of my head, I can't get her out of head. I dream of her. I need her. I want her. Everything is better when she is around. _

_The childhood we've spent made me a better person, happier than I deserved. She deserves more than she gets. I want to be the more. I want to be there when she cries over a book. I want to hold her tight when she is frightened at the storms._

_I want her to hold my hand when we sleep. I wish I could kiss her. Have her be mine for once. I can't be just her best friend, because I'm in love with her._**_I'm in love with Clara._**

_****_"What are you reading?" Damien's voice made her jump, the letter held tight in her hands. He looked anxious, as if he could take a wild guess at what she was reading and realize he was thrown into his worst nightmare.

She looked down at the letter, thought about the kiss, his body, everything that was him. She wanted the same things as he did. They were just both so mental for never admitting it. She pushed the TARDIS and the Doctor for once out of her mind, and she only left room for Damien.

She wanted to admit her feelings, but all she could make out was "You're in love with me?" As she stared up at him, amazed that she could admit it aloud that it was all true. That it is indeed what the paper in her hands right now stated in pen.

His eyes grew wide for a second, then he held himself up straight, in defeat and confidence, " Yeah."

She didn't need to think twice. She dropped the paper, he was ready to protest about how it wouldn't get in the way of their friendship, she knew it, but she didn't want to hear that, she wanted to hear him say it. But she didn't give him the chance, instead she threw her arms around him, kissing him passionately, running her hands through his hair as he finally wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up.

She couldn't help but giggled at the idea of them together. They would be the match make in heaven, yet be the worst couple ever to walk the Earth. They finally let go of each other and just stared into the other's eyes. What was there to say now? She felt pretty speechless from finally getting all the secrets off her shoulders.

"I'm in love with you too Damien," she whispered into his ear as she finally held him tighter than she ever thought she could, afraid to let him ago and awaken from this life into another one, having it all be so unreal.

He smiled a smile she had never seen. He looked down at her, holding her face in his hands as he kissed her one more time, making her forget the bad, the mysterious; all she wanted was him now. She, for once in her life, stopped believing in the Doctor. Because Damien was real, he was real, and he was here. Not the Doctor. Damien. It was time for her to grow up.

"I think I have an idea about the TARDIS and how to break into it," Damien suggested randomly.

She stopped him, "It's fine. I don't need that silly blue box. Damien, I just need you, alright?"

He smiled, a gentle smile, "Alright. We'll forget the TARDIS."

He wrapped his arms around her again, she smiled through the tears. She didn't understand why she was crying. They weren't going to die or anything. He wasn't going anywhere. She wasn't going anywhere either.

She stared out in front of her, her heart stopped, as something felt as if it was crawling up her throat, her stomach turning inside out. The Doctor. Him. The man in her nightmare. Her dreams. He wore his occasional tweed jacket, slacks, suspenders, the whole dorky attire.

He adjusted his bow tie as he looked at her, clearly hurt. He wasn't real though. She had to remind herself that. She shut her eyes tight, trying to make him disappear. She opened them again; he was standing there, staring at her through the sad eyes.

He's not possible though. She.. He.. He wasn't there before! No. She really was losing it. He doesn't exist. He isn't here, she thought through her tears. She held to Damien tighter, shutting her eyes once more, even tighter.

She heard a sound, so loud, unfamiliar, but Damien didn't react, he just kept holding her with what felt like hours. But it'd only be a few seconds of them holding each other. Time was slow around us. She opened her eyes to sound and wind blowing her hair wildly out of her face. She stared at the blue box, appearing before her eyes.

She wanted to push Damien out of the way and hit this box, tell it to go away, leave her head alone. Let her be! But she just stared at the thing as time froze around her. She was stuck in Damien's hold as she stared at the TARDIS.

The doors opening and he.. The Doctor... The legend, himself, stepped out of the TARDIS. His sad eyes gazed upon her again, making her heart break into pieces.

Before he stepped back in and time continued its normal pace, he quietly told her, "Rescue me you clever girl. And I'll show you the stars."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: The Key**

****"You're not real…" Was all she could manage to mumble out before Damien let go and started asking questions. She shook him off and ran through the morning grass and climbed her through the tunnel that led to the TARDIS. She searched around; it had to be here somewhere. But nothing appeared. She knew it was here. She saw it here.

"Where are you?" She muttered in frustration.

She walked forward and was pushed back by an immensely big force. Her head hit against the ground as she stared up at the TARDIS reappearing before her eyes.

"So you have an invisibility cloak huh? Fantastic."

She brought herself up as she brushed off the dirt on her coat. "You need to tell me how to get inside, how do I unlock you? I need to know."

No answer.

Figures, not like the thing is living anyway. She spent more than an hour sitting there, staring at the big blue thing as it blinked on and off. It made her sad; she could imagine the inside all dusted and old. The TARDIS was alone, just like she was and it broke her heart. It needed her and she needed it. She had to find a way to get inside without Damien finding out, but how?

Weeks went by as she spent most mornings and nights secretly giving the TARDIS company. The afternoons were reserved for Damien and school now that she promised she would focus on him only, but she just couldn't. She loved Damien she did, but this wasn't her, she wasn't meant to stay home like her mother. She was meant to be out there and see the stars.

She finally brought herself back home and lied in the bed, thinking of adventures and the tales her mother use to tell when she was young. She tried this whole "Grown up" thing and she decided she didn't like it. She didn't want to do it anymore, she wanted to go away and be free.

"Doctor, where are you?" She whispered, hoping somehow an answer would be said.

But it was silent. It took her minutes until she finally drifted off to sleep. And later that week she found no time to visit the TARDIS which frustrated her even more. She tried to make imprints of the keyhole to the TARDIS to mold a key to its exact point, but every time she stuck the copy key in, it would snap and turn into ashes.

She would grunt in frustration and glare at the TARDIS, it was calling to her and yet it wouldn't give her the password to get inside. After that, she became busy with school and her job. She would spend more time with her parents then expected and she spent a lot of her time with Damien. It wasn't so bad.

She loved the fool. He was a dreamer, even if he wouldn't let her dream of the Doctor. She silently swore to herself that when she opened that TARDIS, he would come with her.

She turned and gazed up at Damien, "One day I am going to go see the stars and you are coming with me, alright? So you can write your books and we can travel forever."

"I'd like that." Damien smiled, kissing her forehead gently.

She glanced at her watch, "I have to go. My dad is going to kill me if I don't come home early this time."

"Do you really have to go?" He pleaded, grabbing her waist, pulling her towards him.

She kissed him tightly, wishing she never had to stop, "Yes. I do. Don't worry; I'll see you tomorrow, alright? Or you could come over tonight?" She hinted as she kissed his neck and up to his cheek. He smiled and chuckled quietly, "You are going to break my heart Clara Tyler."

"Not if you break mine first Damien Oswald."

He pulled her closer to him, kissing her, making her long for him deeply. "I really do have to go," she said out of breath.

"Okay," he whispered.

She let go of him and got inside her car. She'd miss him even if it was for a couple of hours if he came tonight. Her parents wouldn't be home, they'd have to go to work or something, she couldn't quite remember what they had said, but it made her wish she had her own place. She wanted to be free, her parents ceased to still not let that happen, making her feel trapped.

She loved them, she really did, but she wanted to go and live off with Damien if she couldn't have the adventurous adventures she craved.

She walked inside, "Mum. Dad, I'm home."

"Clara..."

She turned to her Dad, coming out of the shadows.

"Yeah? Dad, is that you?"

He came out of the shadows, he appeared tired, but something about him was different. He was wearing a brown suit and converse, no explanation as to where he was going and it scared her.

"I have something to give you. I should have figured you'd find it soon enough, I had no idea until last night…something inside," he put his hand over his heart, "A second beat," he whispered.

"Dad what are you talking about?"

"Nothing.. Just babbling on. Here, take this," he dug into his pocket, revealing a key.

Her eyes widened, "What's it for?"

There is no way he could have known about her finding the TARDIS. They both said it wasn't real. How could he have known? It didn't make any sense.

"You know what it opens."

She squeezed it in her hand, it was real.

"Take good care of it," he whispered as he walked off into the shadows.

"Dad!?" She yelled back, but no one was there.

She looked down at the TARDIS key, glowing in her hand, almost recognizing her. She smiled in triumph as she realized, she was going to now open the TARDIS finally. She was going to go rescue chin boy.


End file.
